“We're focused on ourselves,” explained Kosta Runjaic. “What’s happening in Rome doesn’t concern us. We’re happy to be top and to give our fans a great experience, but we’re not looking at the league table, nor our opponents’ situation. We’re focused on the match. They have a new coach, I don't know what direction they’ll take, but the pressure is on them and they’ll do everything to win. We want to be brave and deliver a good performance. We’re going to Rome to pick up points. I’m excited about this match. I’ve never been to Rome and my team is ready. They’re a great side, but we know that if we play like we did in the first half against Parma, it could go very badly. Our aim is to start well and not feel the pressure.
“The match against Parma was definitely the toughest so far. We went behind, played well in the first half, but it wasn’t enough, then we made a comeback. The goals came from our own mistakes. It wasn’t about the formation. We’re all involved when attacking and defending, and everyone must contribute. I can’t tell you how many strikers I’ll play in Rome.
“We prepared for the Parma match in a certain way, consolidating the midfield to counter their aggressive attacking style. Now we must think about how to face Roma. It will be crucial to be brave and keep control of the game. We managed it to some extent in Parma. The goal is to make the opposition run when we have the ball, rather than us chasing them when they have it. We’ll see if we can do that against Roma because they are a side with real quality when in possession. It’ll be a great challenge."
“We have many options. I have great confidence in those who came on against Parma. They made a telling contribution to the win. It’s always positive when a coach has lots of options. I won’t reveal my decisions yet, partly because I haven’t made them. We have a tough match against Salernitana coming up, so I haven’t decided on the starting XI yet. Oier Zarraga and Keinan Davis played well against Parma, so we have plenty of options. Since I arrived, everyone has made a big contribution. We’ve worked intensively together, both defensively and in attack. We still need to improve, but our motto is ‘all together’. That applies to everyone – those starting and those on the bench. It’s the only recipe for great performances.
“As for Lautaro Giannetti, recovery is crucial every day. He’s doing much better now, but we’ll see if he’ll be available."
“We're enjoying this moment, but we have to be realistic. It’s a long journey and we still have many matches ahead. The atmosphere is great and we want to keep the enthusiasm going, continue maturing and stick to our principles regardless of external factors. I want a happy and optimistic team where joy is always present.”
On the possible inclusion of Aymen Modesto: “Everyone’s ready and in good shape, although some still need to adapt to the training rhythm here. Kingsley Ehizibue has played every match, is improving and could still get better at crossing. He’s very committed and is playing well in both phases. Against Parma, he did a good job containing a player like [Woyo] Coulibaly. I’m happy with him and he’ll start in Rome. After that, we’ll see how the match unfolds and make decisions accordingly. We may need to rotate for the Coppa Italia.”
On the midweek match, Runjaic added: “We’re not ‘trying out players’. We want to win on Wednesday and everyone on the bench has my trust, so I expect a good performance when they play. Wednesday isn’t a test; it’s a serious match. We want to go through, but first, we’re focusing on Roma.”
On preparing for a match against a team with a new coach: “The new coach hasn’t had time to prepare fully just yet. He’ll give instructions to the players, and they’ll show their quality and experience, playing with energy and putting pressure on us. We need to withstand that and stay focused on ourselves. My focus is on my team and our daily work. I can't predict what Roma will do, but we know their players and their qualities. We’re ready to turn in a good display.
“[Damian] Pizarro is training well and his development is progressing smoothly. He’s a talented young man, but he's only 19, coming from another continent and league, and Serie A is different. Expectations are high here, so we must give him time to adapt. There are still aspects he hasn’t encountered in his young career. We’re giving him time and when I feel he’s ready and can perform better than others, he’ll get his chance. We have a good situation up front and even though he’s not playing, he must watch, learn, and observe others in training. The experienced players are doing well with the younger ones, offering their support and advice."
“We didn’t play badly in the first half against Parma, but we conceded a goal because we weren’t focused enough. We made some small mistakes, like conceding a corner too easily. For me, these are signs that we need more focus, even to convert chances into goals. In the first half, we had more shots but didn’t score. In the second half, we had fewer shots but found the net more. That’s down to energy, awareness and concentration. The team did very well in the second half, but I don’t want to speak negatively about the first half. We must always stay focused, ready and maintain a certain level of intensity.”
Finally, on the resurgence of several players, including Brenner, the coach said, “It's not just down to me but also my staff. We speak to the players in every training session, I do especially as I have the most responsibility. Communication is very important to me, but it’s the players who put things into practice and he’s done very well. We need to be careful, though. We’re not at the end of our journey; we have a long way to go. I want to see if those putting in great energy now can continue to do so in the future. Everything is working well so far. If there’s a problem, we speak to the player and quickly find a solution. I’m pleased with how we’ve worked so far. There’s competition and no one can rest on their laurels. Everyone must work hard in training.”